Elevator roping arrangement

Abstract

An elevator installation includes an elevator car located in a hoistway and having a floor, and a rear wall extending upward from the floor. A counterweight is located in the hoistway adjacent to the rear wall of the elevator car. An underslung sheave assembly is located generally below the floor and preferably forms a V-shaped configuration that operatively engages the elevator car. A drive machine is mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway, and a drive sheave operatively engages the drive machine and is located above the counterweight, with the drive sheave having a front edge. A deflector sheave is also mounted in the upper part of the hoistway generally below the drive sheave and has a rear edge that vertically overlaps with the front edge of the drive sheave. A first rope and a second rope each have a first end attached to one of a first and a second dead end hitch in the upper portion of the hoistway, with the underslung sheave assembly operatively engaging the first and second ropes to support the elevator car and the counterweight operatively engaging the first and second ropes as the first and second ropes extend from the drive sheave to the counterweight, and with the first and second ropes extending from the underslung sheave assembly around the rear edge of the deflector sheave and the front edge of the drive sheave such that the first and second ropes wrap around the drive sheave greater than 180 degrees.

1. An elevator installation for use in a hoistway having an upper portion, the elevator installation comprising:
 an elevator car being located in the hoistway and having a floor, said elevator car having a front, a rear wall and opposed side walls extending upward from said floor; 
 a counterweight located in the hoistway adjacent to said rear wall of said elevator car; 
 an underslung sheave assembly mounted on said elevator car below said floor; 
 a drive machine mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway; 
 a drive sheave operatively engaging said drive machine and located above said counterweight, with said drive sheave having a front edge; 
 a deflector sheave mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway generally below said drive sheave and having a rear edge that vertically overlaps with said front edge of said drive sheave; and 
 a first rope and a second rope each having a first end attached to an associated one of a pair of dead end hitches in the upper portion of the hoistway, said first and second ropes extending along adjacent ones of said side walls near said front of said elevator car and into operative engagement with said underslung sheave assembly to support said elevator car, said first and second ropes extending from said underslung sheave along said rear wall of said elevator car, said first and second ropes extending around said rear edge of said deflector sheave and said front edge of said drive sheave such that said first and second ropes wrap around said drive sheave greater than 180 degrees, and said first and second ropes operatively engaging said counterweight whereby said front of said elevator car is unobstructed for use as an; wherein said underslung sheave assembly includes a first underslung sheave and a second underslung sheave operatively engaging said first rope and a third underslung sheave and a fourth underslung sheave operatively engaging said second rope, said first underslung sheave being located adjacent said rear wall about mid-way between said side walls, said second underslung sheave being located adjacent one of said side walls and near said front, said third underslung sheave being located adjacent said rear wall near said first underslung sheave, and said fourth underslung sheave being located adjacent another of said side walls and near said front. 
 
   
   
     2. The elevator installation of  claim 1  wherein said counterweight includes a first and a second counterweight sheave mounted thereto, and said first and second ropes each have a second end affixed to an associated one of another pair of dead end hitches in the upper portion of the hoistway, and said first counterweight sheave operatively engages said first rope below said associated one of said another pair of dead end hitches and said second counterweight sheave operatively engages said second rope below said associated one of said another pair of dead end hitches. 
   
   
     3. The elevator installation of  claim 2  wherein the first and second ropes are steel suspension ropes. 
   
   
     4. The elevator installation of  claim 1  wherein said counterweight includes a first and a second counterweight sheave mounted thereto, and said first and second ropes each have a second end affixed to an associated one of another pair of dead end hitches in the upper portion of the hoistway, and said first counterweight sheave operatively engages said first rope below said associated one of said another pair of dead end hitches and said second counterweight sheave operatively engages said second rope below said associated one of said another pair of dead end hitches. 
   
   
     5. The elevator installation of  claim 1  wherein said first and second ropes are steel suspension ropes. 
   
   
     6. The elevator installation of  claim 1  wherein said first and second ropes are belts. 
   
   
     7. The elevator installation of  claim 1  wherein said first and second ropes are formed of a synthetic material. 
   
   
     8. The elevator installation of  claim 1  wherein said drive machine is a permanent magnet, gearless machine. 
   
   
     9. An elevator installation for use in a hoistway having an upper portion, the elevator installation comprising:
 an elevator car having a floor, a rear wall extending upward from said floor, a front in opposed relation to said rear wall, a first side wall extending between said rear wall and said front and a second, opposed side wall extending between said rear wall and said front, and said elevator oar being located in the hoistway; 
 a counterweight located in the hoistway adjacent to said rear wall of said elevator ear; 
 a drive machine mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway; 
 a drive sheave operatively engaging said drive machine and located above said counterweight; 
 a deflector sheave mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway generally below said drive sheave; 
 an underslung sheave assembly mounted on said elevator car below said floor and including a first underslung sheave located adjacent to said rear wall about mid-way between said first and second side walls, a second underslung sheave located adjacent to said first side wall near said front, a third underslung sheave located adjacent to said rear wall and to said first underslung sheave, and a fourth underslung sheave located adjacent to said second side wall and near said front; and 
 a first rope and a second rope each having a first end attached first and third dead end hitches respectively in the upper portion of the hoistway, with said first underslung sheave and said second underslung sheave operatively engaging said first rope and said third underslung sheave and said fourth underslung sheave operatively engaging said second rope to support said elevator car, and with said first and second ropes extending from said underslung sheave assembly round said deflector sheave and said drive sheave such that said first and second ropes wrap around said drive sheave, and with said counterweight operatively engaging said first and second ropes as said first and second ropes extend from said drive sheave to second and fourth dead end hitches respectively whereby said first and second ropes extend along said first and second side walls respectively and said front of said elevator car is unobstructed for use as an entrance. 
 
   
   
     10. The elevator installation of  claim 9  wherein said drive sheave has a front edge and said deflector sheave has a rear edge that vertically overlaps with said front edge of said drive sheave, and said first and second ropes extend from the underslung sheave assembly around the rear edge of the deflector sheave and the front edge of the drive sheave such that the first and second ropes wrap around the drive sheave greater than 180 degrees. 
   
   
     11. The elevator installation of  claim 10  wherein the first and second ropes are steel suspension ropes. 
   
   
     12. The elevator installation of  claim 9  wherein said counterweight includes a first and a second counterweight sheave mounted thereto, and said first and second ropes each have a second end affixed to said second and fourth dead end hitches respectively, and said first counterweight sheave operatively engages said first rope below said second dead end bitch and said second counterweight sheave operatively engages said second rope below said fourth dead end hitch. 
   
   
     13. The elevator installation of  claim 9  wherein said first and second ropes are steel suspension ropes. 
   
   
     14. The elevator installation of  claim 9  wherein said first and second ropes are belts. 
   
   
     15. The elevator installation of  claim 9  wherein said first and second ropes are formed of a synthetic material. 
   
   
     16. The elevator installation of  claim 9  wherein said drive machine is a permanent magnet type machine. 
   
   
     17. The elevator installation of  claim 16  wherein said drive machine is a gearless machine. 
   
   
     18. An elevator installation for use in a hoistway having an upper portion, the elevator installation comprising:
 an elevator car having a floor, a rear wall extending upward from said floor, a front in opposed relation to said rear wall, a first side wall extending between said rear wall and said front and a second, opposed side wall extending between said rear wall and said front, and with said elevator car being located in the hoistway; 
 a counterweight located in the hoistway adjacent to said rear wall of said elevator car; 
 a drive machine mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway; 
 a drive sheave operatively engaging said drive machine and located above the counterweight, wit the drive sheave having a front edge; 
 a deflector sheave mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway generally below said drive sheave and having a rear edge that vertically overlaps with said front edge of said drive sheave; 
 an underslung sheave assembly mounted to said elevator car below said floor and including a first underslung sheave located adjacent said rear wall about mid-way between said first and second side walls, a second underslung sheave located adjacent said first side wall near said front, a third underslung sheave located adjacent said rear wall near said first underslung sheave, and a fourth underslung sheave located adjacent said second side wall near said front; and 
 a first rope and a second rope each having a first end attached to an associated one of a first and a third dead end hitch in the upper portion of the hoistway, said first underslung sheave and the second underslung sheave operatively engaging said first rope and said third underslung sheave and said fourth underslung sheave operatively engaging said second rope to support said elevator car, said first and second ropes extending from said underslung sheave assembly around said rear edge of said deflector sheave and said front edge of said drive sheave such that said first and second ropes wrap around said drive sheave greater than 180 degrees, and said counterweight operatively engaging said first and second ropes as said first and second ropes extend from said drive sheave to second and fourth dead end hitches respectively. 
 
   
   
     19. The elevator installation of  claim 18  wherein said counterweight includes a first and a second counterweight sheave mounted thereto, said first and second ropes each have a second end affixed to said second and fourth dead end hitches respectively, and said first counterweight sheave operatively engages said first rope below said second dead end hitch and said second counterweight sheave operatively engages said second rope below said fourth dead end hitch.